ebuilding the aging Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania is an epic undertaking that will
unfold over the next generation. It involves hundreds of engineers, technicians,
tradespeople, commuters and residents in a process to replace and modernize our
share of one of America’s busiest and most economically-important highways.
To manage the high costs and multiple engineering challenges ahead, the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
and Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the region’s transportation
planning organization, have organized I-95 into four areas, or Sectors A, B, C and D. The
Sectors are prioritized, with the areas of I-95 most in need of repair being addressed first.
“The reconstruction of I-95 will continue to impact the region, its drivers and its
communities for the foreseeable future,” said Elaine Elbich, P.E., PennDOT’s lead project
manager for rebuilding I-95 in Pennsylvania. “We’re committed to identifying and addressing
those impacts on daily life during construction, just as we’re exploring ways to ensure that
the positive changes we make in the communities under and along I-95 are sustainable in
the long term.”
As illustrated on the graphic (left) , Sector A extends from Interstate 676 north through
the Cottman Avenue (Route 73) Interchange; Sector B from I-676 south to the Girard Point
Bridge approaching the airport; Sector C from the Girard Point Bridge to the Delaware State
Line; and Sector D through Bucks County to New Jersey.
Currently, five Sector A projects are rebuilding eight miles of I-95 north of Center City
Philadelphia. Two Sector B projects have entered the preliminary stages of engineering and
are expected to go to construction within the next decade.
And while attention is naturally drawn to how the 180,000 daily motorists will benefit
from a rebuilt, wider and modernized I-95, there also are many important decisions to be
made relative to traffic management, infrastructure and quality of life for the communities
along the corridor.

Sector A construction and design updates inside.

Governor Tom Wolf joined
Mayor Jim Kenney and PennDOT
Secretary Leslie S. Richards at
a recent event to announce
PennDOT support for reconnecting
Penn’s Landing (left) with Center
City. Story on Page 8.

2

2017

Sector A: Girard Avenue to Cottman
Avenue
Engineering and reconstruction began more than a decade ago on this deteriorated,
high traffic stretch of I-95. The five projects of Sector A: GIR, AFC, BRI, BSR and CPR,
each broken into a handful of sub-sections, continue to make steady progress toward
completion.

I-95/CPR: Cottman Avenue to Bridge Street

Improve the interchange at Cottman Avenue, and reconstruct and widen I-95 to
four through lanes in each direction from Bleigh Avenue, at the Cottman Avenue
Interchange, to Levick Street, north of Bridge Street.

P1: $34 million; CP2: $212 million: PennDOT in late 2016 completed mainline
reconstruction and widening—including seven I-95 bridges—from Bleigh Avenue
to Levick Street. Motorists now have four northbound and four southbound through
lanes. Three on- and off-ramps were rebuilt and widened; new ramps were built from Milnor
Street (northbound) and Longshore Avenue (southbound).

Current Construction

S

ection CP2: $212 million: construction of the new ramp from Cottman Avenue to
southbound I-95 is scheduled to get underway in the second half of 2017 and will
continue into 2018. Underpass improvements, including paving and installation of
sidewalks and LED lighting, wraps up this summer at Cottman and Princeton avenues and
New State Road. Reconstruction of Bleigh Avenue between Wissinoming Street and the
river, including new water mains, continues for the remainder of the year. Installation of
new water mains between Cottman and Princeton avenues on the west side of I-95 also are
expected to be completed by year’s end.

Adams Avenue
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for

Community Benefits

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ve

• Improvements to Cottman Avenue, Princeton Avenue, State Road and New State Road help move
I-95 traffic safely and efficiently through adjacent residential areas;

commercial traffic away from residential areas.

New construction

Next Construction

C

P3 is scheduled to go to construction in 2019 to complete utility installations,
including relocation of a sewer main near the new Cottman Avenue southbound
on-ramp, and improvements to optimize traffic movement on the city-street grid in
the vicinity of the interchange. Shoulders for the new on-ramp from Cottman Avenue to I-95
south also will be constructed at this time.

For more, go to 95revive.com and click CPR on the Individual Projects map.
062717

ek

Improvements to existing streets

Cre

front; and

• Reconstructed ramp system improves traffic flow along surface streets and redistributes some

I-95/BSR: Bridge Street to the Betsy Ross Bridge
Reconstruct and widen I-95 to four through lanes in each direction from the Levick
Street overpass to Margaret Street, and reconfigure the on-off ramps at the Bridge
Street Interchange. Much of the BSR engineering is being coordinated with that of
the adjacent Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Avenue Interchange (BRI). Bridge Street
Interchange improvements will be built under five separate contracts.

ection BS4/H04: $81•million: Work continues on the first of two projects to improve
Aramingo Avenue at the Bridge Street and Betsy Ross Bridge interchanges. Section
BS4 is widening Aramingo Avenue between Church Street and Wheatsheaf Lane. This
widening will benefit traffic flow at the new I-95/Betsy Ross Bridge ramps that are under
construction through 2017.

The Adams Avenue Connector
project will rebuild Adams Avenue
between Torresdale Avenue and
Ashland Street and extend it
eastward from Ashland Street to
Aramingo Avenue and the ramps
to and from I-95 and the Betsy
Ross Bridge.

Connector
rd
kfo

n

Community Benefits

• Improved traffic flow on surface streets at the interchange;
• Improved access to and from Aramingo Avenue, I-95 and the Betsy Ross Bridge via the Adams
Avenue Connector;

• New utilities under Torresdale Avenue;
• Construction of a multi-use trail along Adams Avenue from Torresdale Avenue to Aramingo
Avenue and along Aramingo Avenue between Wheatsheaf Lane and Church Street;

• New LED street lights on Adams, Torresdale and Aramingo avenues;
• New LED luminaries on Torresdale Avenue between Orchard Street and Harbison Avenue; and
• Landscaping and trees along Adams Avenue.

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Av

N

Next Construction
Torresdale Avenue

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Str

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Adams Avenue
Connector

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•BS4 is being built in coordination with construction of the Adams Avenue Connector, which is
being improved and extended from Torresdale Avenue to Aramingo Avenue to connect to I-95 and
the bridge.

I-95 Betsy Ross
Bridge
Interchange

Aramingo Avenue

Str

eet

P

ennDOT anticipates starting I-95 mainline reconstruction and widening to eight
lanes from Levick Street to Carver Street, at the north end of the Bridge Street
Interchange (BS1) in late 2018. BS1 also will complete other surface street improvements­—
including drainage, lighting and sidewalks—to improve traffic flow at the interchange.

Long Range

M

ainline reconstruction and widening from Carver Street to Margaret Street (BS2),
is projected to start in 2021. BS2 includes a new southbound off-ramp to Tacony
Street, removal of the existing southbound off-ramp to James Street, a new
northbound on-ramp from Tacony Street, removal of the existing northbound on-ramp from
Bridge Street, and reconstruction of Tacony Street. Aramingo Avenue from Church Street
north to Tacony Street also will be improved in construction scheduled for 2025 (BS3).

For more, go to 95revive.com and click BSR on the Individual Projects map.

Status: First of two ramp improvement contracts (BR0) under construction
Mainline I-95 (BR3) construction in 2023
Current Construction

S

ection BR0: $160 million: Includes construction of new ramps from Aramingo Avenue
to the bridge and from the bridge to Aramingo Avenue, along with reconstruction to
improve several other existing ramps. BR0 is scheduled to finish in late 2017.

Community Benefits

• Adams Avenue Connector allows local access to and from Aramingo Avenue, I-95 and the Betsy
Ross Bridge;

• New water mains, with residential connections, under Torresdale Avenue between Adams Avenue
and Worrel Street;

• New section of multi-use trail along the west side of Adams Avenue;
• Decorative street lights on Adams Avenue;
• New LED luminaries on Torresdale Avenue; and
• New sidewalk on west side of Torresdale Avenue between Frankford Avenue and Womrath Street.
Next Construction

A
S

second ramp contract (BR2) scheduled to begin in 2019 will rebuild existing ramps
from I-95 north to the bridge, and from the bridge to I-95 south.

Long Range

ection BR3 includes reconstruction of the northbound lanes at the interchange area.
Preliminary Construction is anticipated to start in 2023. Reconstruction of the
southbound lanes (BR4) will beginin 2016.

For more, go to 95revive.com and click BRI on the Individual Projects map.
Ironworkers tie re-bar for the deck
connecting the new ramp from the
Betsy Ross Bridge to the rebuilt
ramp from I-95 south.

2017

5

I-95/AFC: Ann Street to Frankford Creek
Reconstruct and widen 1.5 miles of I-95 and its bridges from the Frankford Creek,
near Wheatsheaf Lane, to Ann Street, south of Allegheny Avenue.

• I-95 widening will be on the east side to minimize residential impacts;
• I-95 between Allegheny Avenue and Westmoreland Street may be rebuilt as a viaduct to reconnect the two sides of Monkeiwicz playground under I-95;

• A separated, two-way bikeway on the north side of Castor Avenue, Richmond Street to Delaware

Avenue, creating a Castor Avenue Connection between Aramingo Avenue and the East Coast Greenway Trail on Delaware Avenue, and remains in discussion with City Planners, the community
and other stakeholders;

Choices for reconstruction of
Westmoreland to Tioga viaduct:
Left photo: Similar to existing
viaduct with fencing removed,
it would allow for potential
community use under I-95
such as parking. Would require
agreements between PennDOT
and the community for
maintenance.
Right photo: Section of I-95 would
be built on fill with retaining
walls. This would block the view
of surrounding industrial area;
create retaining walls that can
be decoratively treated; reduce
under-highway noise; reduce
vibration during construction; and
closes Schiller Street under I-95.

Long Range
orthbound widening and reconstruction (AF2), including reconstruction of the
northbound I-95 ramps at Castor Avenue, projected to start in 2024.

For more, go to 95revive.com and click AFC on the Individual Projects map.

6

2017

I-95/GIR: Allegheny Avenue to Race Street
Reconstruct and improve the interchange at Girard Avenue and approximately three
miles of the adjoining interstate between Ann Street, south of Allegheny Avenue,
and Race Street, north of I-676. This project is being completed under seven separate
contracts.

ection GR0: $8.8 million: Construction of a temporary southbound off-ramp access to
southbound Aramingo Avenue and realignment of Aramingo Avenue at the interchange
finished in 2010.

ection GR1: $91.3 million: Reconstruction of Richmond Street from Aramingo Avenue
to Cumberland Street, realignment of Richmond Street from Cumberland Street to
Ann street, rehabilitation of the Girard Avenue bridge over Aramingo Avenue, and
replacement of the Conrail bridges over Richmond Street with four new bridges.

ection GR2: $39.2 million: Reconstruction and widening of 1,200 feet of I-95 from
Palmer Street, at the southern end of the Girard Avenue Interchange, south to
Frankford Avenue, including new bridges over Columbia Avenue, Marlborough Street
and Shackamaxon Street finished in 2016.

• New sidewalks, LED wall-wash lighting, decorative abutment walls and landscaping at three
bridges near Penn Treaty Park;

• New utility lines under Delaware Avenue and Richmond Street to minimize surface clutter;
• LED understructure and pier lighting under I-95 from Palmer Street to Ann Street;
• Noise barriers with clear panels along I-95 and southbound Aramingo Avenue;
• New bicycle infrastructure;
• Reclaimed Cramp Building industrial salvage art for public display;
• New higher-clearance Conrail bridges on Richmond Street allows truck traffic to stay off local
streets;

• Off-street parking;
• Stormwater parks and thematic landscaping;
• New pedestrian plazas and spaces under the highway; and
• New interchange configuration that consolidates highway access to minimize cut-through traffic
on local streets.

New concrete pavement for a
section of the new northbound
I-95 viaduct stretches north
from near Girard Avenue to Ann
Street and beyond. As the new
viaduct finishes in 2018, PennDOT
will begin the early stages of
replacing the adjacent southbound
viaduct. Photo: James J. Anderson
Construction

2017

7

Current Construction:

S

ection GR3; $211.7 million: Construction of the new northbound viaduct—including
completion of the new off-ramp—continues through late-2018. Concrete paving
crews are working north-to-south across the new viaduct, having started just south of
the Allegheny Avenue off-ramp.
After the new northbound off-ramp to Richmond Street opened in May, the old ramp
was demolished so that the approach to the new off-ramp can be completed this summer.
The new northbound on-ramp also is expected to open this fall when northbound I-95 traffic
is shifted onto a portion of the new viaduct.

Next Construction

T
D

he contract to rebuild the southbound lanes from just south of Allegheny Avenue to
Palmer Street (GR4)—including complete replacement of the southbound viaduct
between Ann Street to Palmer Street and the southbound ramps at Girard Avenue —
is expected to start in 2018. Preliminary construction will take place under the existing
southbound lanes. Demolition and replacement of the southbound viaduct from Ann Street
to Palmer Street is projected to begin in 2019. The southbound on-ramp will remain open
during reconstruction. The southbound off-ramp will be closed and detoured for a time
during reconstruction.

Long Range
esign is underway on two contracts (GR5, GR6) to reconstruct I-95 from Frankford
Avenue, at the southern end of the Girard Avenue Interchange, to Race Street,
including widening the ramps at the I-676 Interchange. Construction is expected to
begin in 2021 on the southbound side of I-95 (GR6).

Northbound I-95 traffic exiting at
Girard Avenue uses the new offramp to Richmond Street as deck
construction progresses south
toward Palmer Street. (Note the
burlap covering recently poured
concrete at the bottom of the
photo and the as-yet unpaved
segment with green re-bars in
place.) Photo: James J. Anderson
Construction

8

Gov. Wolf, Mayor
Kenney Announce
Financial Support
for Sector B
Project
At a June (2017) event along
the Delaware Riverfront
in Philadelphia, Governor
Tom Wolf joined Mayor Jim
Kenney, PennDOT Secretary
Leslie S. Richards and others
to announce that the state
has identified $100 million in
funding for I-95 reconstruction
that will reconnect Penn’s
Landing with the city’s nearby
historic attractions. PennDOT
already has committed an
additional $10 million for
preliminary engineering and
design that is underway.
Mayor Kenney announced that
the city has earmarked $90
million over a five year period
to complete the project. Janet
Haas of the William Penn
Foundation, announced the
commitment of $15 million
and that the foundation is
working to raise $10 million
more. The total project cost is
estimated at $225 million.

2017

Sector B: Reconstruction of I-95 in
Central and South Philadelphia

P

ennDOT is planning the long term reconstruction of nearly six-miles of I-95 between
Spring Garden Street and Broad Street (PA 611) in Central and South Philadelphia,
Sector B. Planners and engineers are looking at ways to proceed with this next challenge and
have started developing specific projects: 1) Central to South Philadelphia corridor study; and 2)
the Penn’s Landing improvement project. Early activities on these two projects will

• Evaluate the needs for reconstruction of I-95 between Spring Garden Street and Broad Street (PA 611);
• Develop alternatives for the reconstruction of the Penn’s Landing, I-76, and Broad Street interchanges in the projectarea;

• Evaluate the remaining life of existing highway structures to help develop reconstruction schedules;
• Complete planning and begin preliminary design for a proposed expansion of the existing I-95 cap at Penn’s Landing
that would extend over I-95 and Columbus Boulevard between Chestnut Street, Walnut Street, and Front Street to
the waterfront; and

• Complete planning and begin preliminary design activities for an extension of the South Street Pedestrian Bridge
over I-95 to the southern end of Penn’s Landing.

Much of Sector B is located along the Delaware River, so project goals include identifying
additional bicycle, pedestrian, and transit improvements that could be made to increase multimodal transportation access along and through I-95 to reach waterfront recreation, shopping
and employment destinations. Much more to come.

“We are showing how
partnerships between the
public and private sectors
deliver important benefits that
improve both our quality of
life and economy,” Governor
Wolf said. “In this case, as
Interstate 95 will be rebuilt,
we have partnered with the
City and the William Penn
Foundation to restore and
enhance the river’s connection
to Center City.”
There are four key elements of
the waterfront project:
1. A four-acre cap over I-95
and Columbus Boulevard
between Walnut and Chestnut
streets, which will hold such
amenities as a new ice skating
rink in the winter, spray pools
in the summer, a café and a
variety of other active uses, as
well as the Irish and Scottish
Memorials.
2. An eight-acre civic space
between Walnut and Chestnut
that will tilt down from
the east side of Columbus
Boulevard to the river,
replacing the 40 year old

deteriorated hardscape of the
Great Plaza.
3. An extension of the South
Street Bridge from its current
terminus on the west side
of Columbus to the Penn’s
Landing Marina.
4. The construction of the
two mile on-road section
of the Delaware River Trail,
from Spring Garden Street
to Washington Avenue, built
to the same high quality
standards of the Penn Street

Trail already constructed at
Delaware Avenue and Spring
Garden Streets.
The project as currently
envisioned will generate
approximately $1.6 billion
of new revenues within the
overall waterfront district
that will benefit the City,
Philadelphia schools, and the
Commonwealth.
Preliminary engineering
activities are currently
underway. Construction

is estimated to take
approximately three years.
More at http://www.
delawareriverwaterfront.
com/planning/news/pennslanding-funding-complete
Above: Delaware River Waterfront
Corporation’s Penn’s Landing
Redevelopment Plan rendering
of its Master Plan that includes
covering I-95 and Columbus
Boulevard from Chestnut to
Walnut streets.

2017

9

Sustainable Action Committee (SAC)

P

ennDOTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public outreach teams will continue holding numerous agency, community
and special purpose meetings in neighborhoods surrounding the I-95 interchanges to
solicit input and keep the community up-to-date on proposed improvements. Streamlining
this coordinated planning of neighborhood improvements along the I-95 corridor, PennDOT
created Sustainable Action Committees (SAC) for each I-95 project. The Committees were tasked
with identifying relevant, appropriate and affordable waterfront and community improvements
that can be incorporated into the plans for I-95 reconstruction.
Since the inception of SAC activities in 2010, the Committees already have realized a number
of street-level improvements, including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, new LED street lights and
landscaping along Richmond Street, noise barriers, and decorative underpass walls.
The SAC, with representatives from community groups, businesses, non-profits and public
agencies in the project areas, will continue to explore other significant enhancements for
inclusion in the future reconstruction projects.

To see how you can become involved, go to www.95revive.com/i95/
neighborhood-improvements/overview.